Alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheets and zinciferous electroplated steel sheets have conventionally been used as outer shells for an automobile body, a home electric appliance and furniture. Recently, however, the alloying-treated iron-zinc dip-plated steel sheet is attracting greater general attention than the zinciferous electroplated steel sheet for the following reasons:
(1) The zinciferous electroplated steel sheet having a relatively small plating weight, manufactured usually by subjecting a cold-rolled steel sheet having an adjusted surface roughness to a zinc electroplating treatment, is preferably employed as a steel sheet required to be excellent in finish appearance after painting and in corrosion resistance such as a steel sheet for an automobile body;
(2) However, the steel sheet for an automobile body is required to exhibit a further excellent corrosion resistance;
(3) In order to impart a further excellent corrosion resistance to the above-mentioned zinciferous electroplated steel sheet, it is necessary to increase a plating weight thereof, and the plating weight thus increased leads to a higher manufacturing cost of the zinciferous electroplated steel sheet; and
(4) On the other hand, the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet is excellent in electro-paintability, weldability and corrosion resistance, and furthermore, it is relatively easy to increase a plating weight thereof.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet, the difference in an iron content between the surface portion and the inner portion of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer becomes larger according as the plating weight increases, because the alloying treatment is accomplished through the thermal diffusion. More specifically, a .GAMMA.-phase having a high iron content tends to be easily produced on the interface between the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer and the steel sheet, and a .zeta.-phase having a low iron content is easily produced, on the other hand, in the surface portion of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer. The .GAMMA.-phase is more brittle as compared with the .zeta.-phase. In the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer which has a structure comprising the .GAMMA.-phase and a structure comprising the .zeta.-phase, a high amount of the .GAMMA.-phase results in breakage of the brittle .GAMMA.-phase during the press-forming, which leads to a powdery peeloff of the plating layer and to a powdering phenomenon. When the .zeta.-phase is present in the surface portion of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer, on the other hand, the .zeta.-phase structure adheres to a die during the press-forming because the .zeta.-phase has a relatively low melting point, leading to a higher sliding resistance, and this poses a problem of the occurrence of die galling or press cracking.
In the above-mentioned conventional alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet, particularly in an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet having a large plating weight, furthermore, an effect of improving image clarity after painting of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet cannot be expected from adjustment of surface roughness of the steel sheet before a zinc dip-plating treatment.
Various methods have therefore been proposed to improve press-formability and/or image clarity after painting of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 4-358 discloses a method for improving press-formability of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet by applying any of various high-viscosity rust-preventive oils and solid lubricants onto a surface of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet (hereinafter referred to as the "prior art 1").
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 1-319,661 discloses a method for improving press-formability of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet by forming a plating layer having a relatively high hardness, such as an iron-group metal alloy plating layer on a plating layer of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet; Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 3-243,755 discloses a method for improving press-formability of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet by forming an organic resin film on a plating layer of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet; and Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2-190,483 discloses a method for improving press-formability of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet by forming an oxide film on a plating layer of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet (methods for improving press-formability of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet by forming another layer or another film on the plating layer of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet as described above, being hereinafter referred to as the "prior art 2").
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2-274,859 discloses a method for improving press-formability and image clarity after painting of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet by subjecting the alloying-treated zinc dip-plated steel sheet to a temper-rolling treatment with the use of rolls of which surfaces have been applied with a dull-finishing treatment by means of a laser beam, i.e., with the use of laser-textured dull rolls, to adjust a surface roughness thereof (hereinafter referred to as the "prior art 3").
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2-57,670 discloses a method for improving press-formability of an alloying-treated zinc dip-plated steel sheet by imparting, during an annealing step in a continuous zinc dip-plating line, a surface roughness comprising a center-line mean roughness (Ra) of up to 1.0 .mu.m to a steel sheet through inhibition of an amount of an oxide film formed on the surface of the steel sheet, and imparting a surface roughness having a peak counting (PPI) of at least 250 (a cutoff value of 1.25 .mu.m) to an alloying-treated zinc dip-plating layer (hereinafter referred to as the "prior art 4").
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2-175,007, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2-185,959, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2-225,652 and Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 4-285,149 disclose a method for improving image clarity after painting of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet by using, as a substrate sheet for plating, a cold-rolled steel sheet of which a surface roughness as represented by a center-line mean roughness (Ra), a filtered center-line waviness (Wca) and a peak counting (PPI), is adjusted through the cold-rolling with the use of specific rolls, and subjecting a zinc dip-plating layer formed on the surface of said cold-rolled steel sheet to an alloying treatment, or subjecting the thus obtained alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet to a temper-rolling treatment with the use of specific rolls (hereinafter referred to as the "prior art 5").
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2-274,860 discloses a method for improving press-formability of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet by forming numerous fine concavities on a surface of a cold-rolled steel sheet as a substrate sheet for plating with the use of the laser-textured dull rolls to impart a prescribed surface roughness on said surface (hereinafter referred to as the "prior art 6").
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2-225,652 discloses a method for improving press-formability of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet by forming numerous fine concavities having a depth within a range of from 10 to 500 .mu.m on a surface of a cold-rolled steel sheet, particularly, by forming numerous fine concavities having a wavelength region within a range of from 10 to 100 .mu.m and a depth of about 10 .mu.m on a surface of a plating layer during the alloying treatment of the plating layer (hereinafter referred to as the "prior art 7").
However, the prior art 1 has the following problems: It is not easy to remove a high-viscosity rust-preventive oil or a solid lubricant applied over the surface of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet, so that it is inevitable to use an organic solvent as a degreasing agent for facilitating removal of such a rust-preventive oil or a solid lubricant, thus resulting in a deteriorated environment of the press-forming work site.
The prior art 2 not only requires a high cost, but also leads to deterioration of operability and productivity.
The prior art 3 has the following problems:
(a) Because each of the numerous fine concavities formed on the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer on the surface of the steel sheet has such a large area as from 500 to 10,000 .mu.m.sup.2, it is difficult to keep a press oil received in these concavities, and the press oil tends to easily flow out from the concavities. Consequently, the press oil flows out from the concavities during the transfer of the steel sheet in the press-forming step, thus decreasing press-formability.
(b) Because, from among the above-mentioned numerous fine concavities, a length of a flat portion between two adjacent concavities is relatively large as from 50 to 300 .mu.m, improvement of press-formability by keeping the press oil in the concavities is limited to a certain extent. More specifically, even when the press oil is kept in these concavities, lack of the press oil occurs while a die passes on the above-mentioned flat portion during the press-forming because of the long flat portion between two adjacent concavities, so that the sudden increase in coefficient of friction causes a microscopic seizure, resulting in die galling and press cracking.
(c) When the length of the flat portion between two adjacent concavities from among the numerous fine concavities is so large as described above, a so-called surface waviness component, which deteriorates image clarity after painting, remains on the surface of the plating layer of the alloying-treated zinc dip-plated steel sheet, thus resulting in a decreased image clarity after painting.
(d) When, after the manufacture of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet, forming numerous fine concavities having the above-mentioned shape and size on the surface of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer by applying a temper-rolling treatment to the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet with the use of the laser-textured dull rolls, the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer is subjected to a serious deformation during the temper-rolling treatment, and this causes easy peeloff of the plating layer.
(e) Application of the dull-finishing treatment to the roll surface by means of a laser beam requires a large amount of cost, and furthermore, it is necessary to frequently replace the laser-textured dull rolls because of serious wear of the numerous fine concavities formed on the surface thereof.
The prior art 4 has the following problems:
(a) When using, as a substrate sheet for plating, a steel sheet having a surface roughness as represented by a center-line mean roughness (Ra) of up to 1.0 .mu.m, dross tends to easily adhere onto the surface of the steel sheet because of a large area of the close contact portion of the steel sheet with a roll in the zinc-dip-plating bath. It is therefore impossible to prevent defects in the plated steel sheet caused by adhesion of dross to the surface of the steel sheet. When using a steel sheet applied with a temper rolling with the use of dull rolls, on the other hand, dross hardly adheres onto the surface of the steel sheet because of a small area of the close contact portion of the steel sheet with a roll in the zinc dip-plating bath, but is blown back to the zinc dip-plating bath during the gas wiping. As a result, the plated steel sheet is free from defects caused by dross.
(b) The prior art 4 imparts a high peak counting (PPI) to an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer through an alloying reaction of the plating layer itself during the alloying treatment of the zinc dip-plating layer. With a high peak counting (PPI) alone, however, not only self-lubricity is insufficient, but also the amount of the press oil kept on the surface of the plating layer is small. As a result, lack of the press oil occurs while the die passes on the surface of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer during the press-forming, and the sudden increase in coefficient of friction causes a microscopic seizure, resulting in die galling and press cracking.
(c) In the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet of the prior art 4, while the number of fine concavities per mm.sup.2 of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer is satisfactory, no consideration is made on a bearing length ratio tp (2 .mu.m). It is therefore impossible to impart an excellent image clarity after painting to the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet.
The prior arts 5 to 7 have the following problems:
(a) Image clarity after painting is not necessarily improved by using, as a substrate sheet for plating, a cold-rolled steel sheet having an adjusted surface roughness as represented by a center-line mean roughness (Ra), a filtered center-line waviness (Wca) and a peak counting (PPI), or a steel sheet subjected to a cold-rolling treatment with the use of specific rolls, as in the prior art 5.
(b) When carrying out a cold-rolling treatment with the use of the bright rolls or the laser-textured dull rolls, serious wear of the rolls during the cold-rolling leads to a shorter service life of the rolls. In order to achieve a satisfactory image clarity after painting and a good press-formability, therefore, it is necessary to frequently replace the rolls, thus resulting in a serious decrease in productivity.
(c) Image clarity after painting is not always improved even by applying a temper-rolling treatment with the use of specific rolls as disclosed in the prior art 5 after applying a zinc dip-plating treatment followed by an alloying treatment to a steel sheet.
(d) When carrying out a temper-rolling treatment with the use of the bright rolls or the laser-textured dull rolls, the rolls suffer from serious wear during the temper-rolling, leading to a shorter service life of the rolls. In order to achieve a satisfactory image clarity after painting and a good press-formability, therefore, it is necessary to frequently replace the rolls, thus resulting in a serious decrease in productivity.
(e) When manufacturing an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet in accordance with the method disclosed in the prior art 5, press-formability thereof is deteriorated.
(f) In the method comprising forming numerous fine concavities on the surface of a cold-rolled steel sheet as in the prior art 7, the numerous fine concavities cannot be formed under some alloying treatment conditions, and even when numerous fine concavities are formed, the press oil received in the concavities cannot be kept satisfactorily. Consequently, the press oil easily flows out from the concavities during the transfer of the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet. The lubricity effect is therefore insufficient, easily causing die galling or press cracking.
(g) When numerous fine concavities are formed on the surface of an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet by subjecting a cold-rolled steel sheet to a zinc dip-plating treatment followed by an alloying treatment, and then applying a temper-rolling treatment with the use of the laser-textured dull rolls, as in the prior art 6, the alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plating layer tends to be seriously damaged during the temper rolling, leading to easy peeloff and a deteriorated powdering resistance.
(h) Each of the numerous fine concavities formed on the surface of a cold-rolled steel sheet with the use of the laser-textured dull rolls is relatively large in size. The press oil received in the concavities cannot therefore be kept satisfactorily, but flows out from the concavities during the transfer of the alloying-treated iron-zinc dip-plated steel sheet in the press-forming step, and this leads to an insufficient lubricity effect and to easy occurrence of die galling and press cracking.
(i) From among numerous fine concavities formed on the surface of a cold-rolled steel sheet with the use of the laser-textured dull rolls, a length of a flat portion between two adjacent concavities is relatively large. The effect of improving press-formability by keeping the press oil in the concavities is therefore limited to a certain extent. Even when the press oil is kept in these concavities, lack of the press oil occurs while a die passes on the above-mentioned flat portion during the press-forming because of the long flat portion between two adjacent concavities, resulting in an insufficient lubricity. Die galling and press cracking may easily be caused.
Under such circumstances, there is a strong demand for development of (1) an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet excellent in press-formability, which enables to solve the problems involved in the prior arts 1 to 4, (2) an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet excellent in press-formability and image clarity after painting, which enables to solve the problems involved in the prior arts 3 and 4, and (3) a method for manufacturing an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet excellent in press-formability, which enables to solve the problems involved in the prior arts 5 to 7, but such an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet and a method for manufacturing thereof have not as yet been proposed.
Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to provide an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet excellent in press-formability, which enables to solve the above-mentioned problems involved in the prior arts 1 to 4.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet excellent in press-formability and image clarity after painting, which enables to solve the above-mentioned problems involved in the prior arts 3 and 4.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing an alloying-treated iron-zinc alloy dip-plated steel sheet excellent in press-formability, which enables to solve the above-mentioned problems involved in the prior arts 5 to 7.